The Sentinel: Viewpoint

Viewpoint
Assam’s Muslim community deserves leaders, not just representation

by Ashfaq Choudhury

In Assam’s intricate political landscape, the state’s sizable Muslim population, nearly 34% of its total, remains one of the most electorally significant yet politically voiceless communities. On paper, representation appears sufficient: 31 out of 126 MLAs in the Assam Legislative Assembly are Muslim. But beyond numbers, there is a growing sense of abandonment, a leadership vacuum that becomes glaring during moments of crisis.

The recently concluded panchayat elections have only sharpened this perception. Despite the symbolic presence of Muslim leaders in the legislature, a striking absence of real advocacy persists. These elected figures are often visible during campaigns and in constituency events, but in the heat of critical debates—be it on citizenship, identity, or communal tensions—their silence is deafening. For many, it no longer feels like representation, but rather a performance devoid of agency.

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The Muslim community in Assam is not lacking in numbers or political engagement. What it lacks is a mass leader—someone with the courage, clarity, and intellectual heft to articulate the community’s concerns in the state’s mainstream discourse. Most Muslim leaders remain confined to their constituencies, avoiding broader engagement on sensitive issues that demand moral conviction and political skill.

Take, for instance, the recent controversy surrounding the WAQF Amendment Bill. Regardless of one’s stance on the bill, what stood out was the lack of a strong, unified voice from within the Muslim leadership. While a few MLAs from the AIUDF did register protest, their message lacked resonance in the absence of a credible, widely respected face, especially after Badruddin Ajmal’s defeat in Dhubri, which has left the party without a clear figurehead.

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Historically, the Congress party has positioned itself as the natural home for Muslim voters in Assam. It has benefited from decades of loyalty, largely rooted in fears of marginalization and communal politics. But this reliance on Muslim-majority “safe seats” has bred complacency. The incentive to nurture bold, capable Muslim leaders has diminished. Instead of dynamic representation, the community has been handed ritualistic tokenism.

For young Muslims disillusioned by the recent election outcomes, this is not the time to retreat.

Many Muslim MLAs today seem more invested in political survival than in principled leadership. They hesitate to speak on issues that challenge the dominant narrative, fearing backlash or loss of favor within their parties. Their silence during moments that demand empathy and courage isn’t just disappointing; it’s dangerous. It sends a signal that the community can be electorally significant but politically disposable.

The current vacuum is particularly painful when viewed in the light of Assam’s past. The state once produced towering figures like Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, who went on to become President of India, and Moinul Hoque Choudhury, a respected national leader. Their presence not only inspired pride but also offered tangible proof that Muslims in Assam could shape national discourse. Today, such leadership is conspicuously absent.

The path forward demands urgent introspection, from political parties and the community alike. Parties must invest in building inclusive platforms that prioritize competence and character over tokenism. But the onus also lies on the community to identify, encourage, and elevate a new generation of leaders—individuals who combine education with grassroots connection, who can speak not only for Muslims but also to the larger issues that shape Assam’s future.

For young Muslims disillusioned by the recent election outcomes, this is not the time to retreat. It is a clarion call to participate more deeply, to organize, speak out, and reclaim agency. Leadership is not handed down by political parties; it is built from the ground up, rooted in conviction and service.

Assam’s Muslims must stop waiting for saviors. The community must begin cultivating leaders who do not simply occupy legislative seats but embody the courage, clarity, and vision required to honor the trust placed in them. Only then can representation move beyond symbols to become a force for genuine change.

About the author ~

Ashfaq Choudhury is a student at Delhi University. An aspiring journalist from Assam with a passion for telling untold stories from the Northeast, Choudhury's hopes to amplify voices that often go unheard and spark conversations that matter.

Retaliatory action raises serious questions in world diplomacy

Operation Sindoor was not a move of aggression against the country of Pakistan, but a selective action against terrorism.

Viewpoint

by Ishanee Chaliha

India started Operation Sindoor on May 7, 2025, as a retaliatory action against the Pahalgam attack on April 22, 2025, that massacred 26 civilians. The attack was a massive blow to the Indian nation and the world in general.

Operation Sindoor was initiated as a retaliation with precision and hit nine targeted terrorist camps- four within Pakistan and five within Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The operation was tactically commanded and guided by Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Colonel Sofia Qureshi, and its successful accomplishment was greeted with overwhelming national admiration.

International responses to the operation were highly polarized. Israel expressed unambiguous support to India, labeling the operation as a rightful act of self-defence. Its Indian ambassador stated that “terrorists must know there is no hiding from their atrocious act against the innocents.”

On the contrary, countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, China, and Germany called for restraint and the resumption of diplomatic talks. U.S. President Donald Trump even went to the extent of condemning the operation as a “shame,” whereas the foreign secretary of the U.K. warned that "if this escalates further, nobody wins." Likewise, a Taliban statement from Afghanistan called for restraint and diplomatic talks on both sides.

These reactions have, however, raised some serious questions regarding the double standards of international diplomacy. Historical experiences indicate that terrorist attacks against Western countries frequently trigger massive military interventions under the pretext of an international war against terror.

However, when identical events take place in non-Western nations, particularly those in the Global South, response measures are most often termed as unwarranted or shameful. In addition, nations like China, which were accused of giving military aid to Pakistan, are now emerging as impartial intermediaries, contributing to the intricacies and perceived paradoxes of the international reaction.

Operation Sindoor was not a move of aggression against the country of Pakistan, but a selective action against terrorism. By limiting itself to targeting militant infrastructure and avoiding civilian casualties, the operation helps underline India's long-standing role as a country that never seeks war, yet has the will and ability to finish it once provoked. The international community's disparate responses to the operation lead one to pose the following critical question: Are such reactions based on genuine diplomatic concern or part of a larger trend of geopolitical hypocrisy?

Ishanee Chaliha a student studying political science at Christ University in Bangalore. In her free time she enjoys learning new languages and is currently working toward proficiency in Korean and German. She believes the key to a good life starts within yourself which is to find your individuality and cultivate on it and later contribute to the society through it.

Viewpoint |
Immigrants are our neighbors, isn't that enough?

by Jocelyn Smith
OtherWords

I recall seeing a sign in a yard in my small hometown of around 12,000 residents. “No matter where you are from,” it said, “we’re glad you are our neighbor.”

It was positioned defiantly, facing a Trump sign that had been plunged into the neighbor’s yard across the street. It poignantly illustrated the tensions in my rural Ohio town, which — like many similar communities — has experienced a rapid influx of immigrants over the last 20 years.

The sign’s sentiment was simple yet profound. I found myself wondering then, as I wonder now, when compassion had become so complicated. It seems everyone has become preoccupied arguing over the minutiae of immigration that they’ve missed the most glaring and essential point: We are neighbors.

Small businesses are the backbone of the U.S. economy, a truth so widely acknowledged that it bridges the ever-growing partisan divide.

While writing this piece, I gathered studies and prepared a detailed analysis of the ways immigrants have transformed and revitalized the economies of the Rust Belt. I was going to explain how immigrants have helped fill vacant housing and industry in this region’s shrinking cities to reverse the toll of population decline.

I gathered statistics showing the economic growth and revitalization that’s happened as immigrants have brought flourishing small businesses to their new communities. Like: Despite making up only around 14 percent of the U.S. population, immigrants own 18 percent of small businesses with employees — and nearly a quarter of small businesses without employees. (And immigrants in Rust Belt cities are even more likely to be entrepreneurs.)

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Small businesses are the backbone of the U.S. economy, a truth so widely acknowledged that it bridges the ever-growing partisan divide. Both Vice President JD Vance and former Vice President Kamala Harris have promoted the critical role of small businesses in economic flourishing.

I was going to tell a story about Joe, a vendor at my local flea market. He and other vendors were heavily averse to migrants purchasing the dilapidated building from the previous owner. Now they laud the building’s new management and improved conditions.

I was going to describe the experiences of my recently immigrated high school peers, who sometimes fell asleep in class from sheer exhaustion after working night shifts at meatpacking plants and attending school for seven hours the next day.

I was going to explain why communities not only benefit from immigrants, but need them.

Without immigrants, I learned, U.S. communities would lose the nearly $1 trillion of state, local, and federal taxes that immigrants contribute annually. This number is almost $300 billion more than immigrants receive in government benefits.

Without immigration, the U.S. working-age population is projected to decline by approximately 6 million over the next two decades — a shift that would carry significant consequences, especially for the Social Security system. Sustained population growth is critical to preserving a balanced ratio of workers contributing to Social Security for every beneficiary receiving support.

As immigration is expected to become the sole driver of U.S. population growth by 2040, restrictive immigration policies threaten to undermine this vital program, as a cornerstone of the American social safety net. With broad public support for strengthening Social Security, embracing immigration is not just beneficial — it is essential to ensuring the program’s long-term stability and success.

I was prepared to comb through every dissent in an effort to prove why our neighbors are deserving of empathy and compassion. But none of these answers address the larger, more urgent question: When did being neighbors cease to be enough?

Most Americans still tell pollsters immigration is good for their communities and reject cruel deportations, especially those that separate families, target people without criminal records, or penalize people who came here as young children. My rural Ohio town, and countless communities like it, are slowly learning the most important lesson about this supposedly complicated issue: Compassion doesn’t need to be complicated.

Meredith Lehman is a research associate at the Institute for Policy Studies. This op-ed was distributed by OtherWords.org

Guest Commentary |
Riding the stock market roller coaster; don't jump

Now is not the time to faint or jump from the roller coaster. Who knows how the market will perform over the next few weeks.

by Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator

You never undo your seat belt or jump from a moving roller coaster. Nor, should you when it comes to our current Stock market.

Eight years ago, if you bought a share of VOO or Vanguard S & P 500 ETF stock, you may have paid about $220 for the share. Today, as of this writing it’s worth $490.55. In other words, even with the fall of the stock market recently you have made good money on your investment. A couple of weeks back it was up to $560 which means you were flying high on your profit. Still yet, you have done well.

If you bought your share of VOO two weeks ago at $560 then you have lost $70, at least for now. You may lose some more but you have to hold tight. Don’t panic and sell now or you will have a loss. Ride it out and give the market time to settle down and rise again. If you have to cash in your stock then cash in while they are high.

Now may be a good time to buy but keep in mind the market may go down some more.

Don’t invest your grocery money in stock. This is the money you need every week for food, shelter, travel and overhead. This is not the money you spend on stock. If you do, then in two weeks you will have to sell your stock to eat and risk losing some of the money you invested. Only invest in stock what you don’t currently need for general living expenses.

Who knows how the market will perform over the next few weeks. It’s going to be a few weeks or months before the tariffs really shape up as to what is really what. The reports are that numerous countries are coming to the table interested in making deals and playing fair with the United States. This will be good for us and them. As these deals stabilize look for the stock market to become more stable once again. If Japan, India, South Korea, Canada and Mexico all level the playing field with the United States our stock market will level out. If there are more reports of industry manufacturing coming to the United States the stock market will begin to rise again.

Now may be a good time to buy but keep in mind the market may go down some more. If you bought VIG two weeks ago then you’ve already seen a significant drop. Keep in mind you only lose it if you sell it when the stock is down. I feel confident that the stock market will come back bigger and bolder than ever but it may take a few months or longer.

The stock market has averaged making about ten percent over the last fifty years. This means it has had years when it made more and years when it made less. An average of ten percent is about the best you can do on your money over the long haul.

Now is not the time to faint or jump from the roller coaster. Rely on your stable income such as Social Security, or any other stable income you may have. If you have a regular paying job you may want to stay with it a little while longer if you can and if you enjoy your work.

About the author ~

Glen Mollett is the author of 13 books including Uncommom Sense, the Spiritual Chocolate series, Grandpa's Store, Minister's Guidebook insights from a fellow minister. His column is published weekly in over 600 publications in all 50 states.

The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily representative of any other group or organization. We welcome comments and views from our readers. Submit your letters to the editor or commentary on a current event 24/7 to editor@oursentinel.com.

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Commentary |
Are they paid protesters? So what?

by Cab Ivanovich

An astonishing number of Trump supporters took the dangling video bait and swallowed it hook, line, and sinker.

After last weekend's Hands Off! protests across the country, TikTok creator @redsaidblue posted a satirical video, sprinkled with subtle digs at popular MAGA stereotypes, in which she claimed to be attending the protest as a paid participant. In the video, she described what she could and couldn’t wear, who her point of contact was, and that she would receive a bonus for bringing a sign.

"I got paid $100 for going to the protest, and I got an extra $10 for bringing the sign," she confesses to viewers in character as a Trump supporter going over to the other side to make a few bucks. "Overall, it was a pretty good experience. The people were pretty nice."

A MAGA supporter on X (formerly Twitter) with over 200,000 followers, "@TheEXECUTlONER_", posted the performance to his account and encouraged other Trump supporters to share it. The buffoonery sailed by unchecked by rational thought or rudimentary critical thinking.

There were 1,400 Hands Off! demonstrations across the country on Saturday. The majority drew well over 1,000 participants. Conservatively, someone or some entity would have spent around $140 million (before signs). The kicker: an estimated 3 million people took part in the nationwide protests. If all the marchers were punching the proverbial clock, someone would have spent $300 million—which might have been a boon to the economy after the stock market experienced its steepest plunge since COVID, during Trump’s first term.

While @redsaidblue wasn’t actually paid to protest—it's not clear if she even attended one—the blue-check MAGA user is making bank. As of this story, the video had been shared by 24,000 other accounts on the social media platform. While the young woman wasn’t actually paid for the protest, the account that posted her video is cleaning up, having collected 47,000 likes and over 3,000 comments so far.

Meanwhile, the creator began receiving negative backlash from liberals for posting the video, which she eventually took down. She is now attempting to remove copies from the internet. Supporters from the left were enraged, claiming her video added fuel to the political fire by implying extreme right conservatives aren’t smart enough to recognize when they’re being punked.

confessions of a paid protester

@redsaidblue
SATIRE - regrettable.
♬ original sound - Red Said

It appears her critics were right. The video—or screenshots with text excerpts from it—is circulating on conservative social media channels as supposed proof that liberal protesters are social justice mercenaries, reinforcing the narrative that liberals only protest against the Trump administration because they are paid.

Redsaidblue posted a follow-up video to her TikTok account yesterday, apologizing to fellow liberals for harming their movement.

"I truly thought it was so obvious that it was a joke. I thought that if anyone did take it seriously, if they shared it with someone else, the next person would be like, "Bro, that's satire".

Do paid protesters actually exist? They don't, according to an article from USA Today.

"Time after time, claims of "paid protesters" have been debunked, sometimes by the very people who made them in the first place," according to an article by John R. Roby.

Leo Gertner wrote a piece for The Washington Post entitled, "So what if protesters are paid?"

Gertner wrote, "So the next time someone tries to discredit a movement by insinuating that some of the people on the ground are being compensated, ask the all-important question: So what?"

What's the old saying? Freedom isn't free.

Op-Ed |
Congress is taking from the poor and giving to the rich

Let’s say you’re lucky enough to get housing at that wage. Do you then spend all your money on rent and skip nutritious meals for your family?

by Jocelyn Smith
OtherWords

I know how it feels to be hungry and homeless.

That’s why after work, I drive around town and pick up leftover food from restaurants, schools, grocery stores, and special events. My fellow volunteers and I set up in a big parking lot in our downtown to make this food available to anyone who shows up — no questions asked.

And it’s why other volunteers and I also work to find empty housing units that have fallen into disrepair because the landlords can’t afford the upkeep. We raise money and give them grants so they can bring the units up to code for use as low-income housing rentals.

I’m proud to do this work. But it’s no substitute for fair, living wages and a reliable public safety net. The minimum wage where I live is $12 — well below the $21 per hour the National Low Income Housing Coalition has calculated is necessary to afford a market rate two-bedroom rental locally.

Let’s say you’re lucky enough to get housing at that wage. Do you then spend all your money on rent and skip nutritious meals for your family? Or do you skip health care and medication? If you have a paycheck and a roof over your head, you might not qualify for food assistance, even if you don’t make enough to make ends meet.

foodbank photo — Foodbanks play a crucial role in addressing hunger and ensuring that vulnerable populations have access to nutritious food when they are unable to afford or access enough food on their own.

I work, volunteer, take care of my child, and I’m fortunate enough to have housing. But I still need to rely on SNAP — the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as “food stamps” — for my family.

My daughter has epilepsy, and thankfully I was able to get her onto Social Security Disability Insurance. However, she needs not only costly medication but also frequent neurological supervision and a device that helps to stop her seizures. There’s no neurologist in our town who can treat her, so we have to travel and lodge hours away for it.

when we need help, the bar for our income shouldn’t be so low that we must be nearly destitute, without any savings or emergency cushion, to qualify.

The expense is enormous, and that’s not even getting into expensive medications for my own heart problems and autoimmune disorders. Thankfully, we qualify for Medicaid. Otherwise, treatment would be out of reach.

But what does it say about our policy priorities when we need to say, “I’m disabled, taking care of my disabled daughter, I work, and I help feed my community, and yet I need assistance affording meals for my family?” These are the realities that a good society plans for so we can all thrive, no matter what obstacles life throws our way.

The programs our tax dollars pay for so families like mine can get help when we need it must be more robust. Programs like SSDI shouldn’t be so inaccessible. Food, housing, and health care shouldn’t be so expensive — and wages shouldn’t be so low that these basic necessities are unaffordable.

And when we need help, the bar for our income shouldn’t be so low that we must be nearly destitute, without any savings or emergency cushion, to qualify.

Is Congress working on any of this? Unfortunately, no. Instead, they’re doing the opposite right now.

In fact, the GOP budget proposal would slash $880 billion from Medicaid and $230 billion from food assistance. They’re also cutting government agencies that assist with affordable housing, transportation, safety, veterans, and children with disabilities.

Why? Because they need to find at least $4.5 trillion to give even more tax cuts to the wealthiest and largest corporations. They are reaching into my very shallow pockets, into my daughter’s life-saving medical care, and into the mouths of those who come to my food table in that parking lot.

They’re stealing from us to give to the rich, perpetuating a vicious cycle of poverty that keeps people homeless and hungry.

I don’t think that’s fair. Do you? We all deserve better.

Jocelyn Smith lives in Roswell, New Mexico. She works at a local talk radio station, runs a local Food not Bombs chapter, and volunteers at Rehab to Rental, helping to increase affordable housing options. This op-ed was produced in partnership with the Institute for Policy Studies and the Working Class Storyteller and distributed by OtherWords.org.

Commentary |
Clicks, Cash & Consequences: The Cost of social media fame

I once read, "If you’re getting a free product, then you are the product." That line stuck with me.

by Rashmi Rekha Das

Facebook launched its Creator Program in November 2017 with the goal of competing with platforms like YouTube and Twitch by supporting video creators with tools, insights, and monetization options. Through this program, creators can earn money based on their content’s engagement, with payments deposited directly into their accounts.

To get started, a creator must either create a Facebook Page or switch their profile to professional mode. Success hinges on consistency, quality content, audience interaction, and effective use of Facebook’s tools. Facebook issues weekly challenges, and creators must complete them to qualify for rewards.

Guest Commentary |
Go have a good day

by Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator

A Catholic Priest, A Jewish Rabbi and a Baptist minister were discussing the beginning of life.

The Priest said, “Life begins at conception. The Rabbi said he believe at birth. The Baptist minister thought for a minute and said, “I believe life begins when the last child leaves home and the dog dies.”

While there are different opinions about when life begins, what is the answer to the question, “When does life end?” Most of us would agree when we breath our last breath is when it’s over for us. However, too often the ending of life is even more grim than us fighting for a breath of air and then we are nothing but a body of flesh and bone for some else to dispose.

Too often life for many ends months or maybe even years before our final physical moment. Actually, possibly it has already happened to you and you haven’t even realized that you are already dead. You died and you didn’t even know it. You’ve been starring at your television, scrolling through social media and maybe even walking around the aisle of the grocery store just as dead as old King Tut, but not physically, just mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

It happens to the best of people. You lose all interest in life. You have nothing that you look forward to. There is nothing you particularly want to do. No place you really want to go and nobody you want to be around. You’re dying, because you’ve given up.

There are several scenarios that can bring us to this motionless zombie stage of life. Losing a spouse, losing a job, losing a child, a business failure, financial failure, a major sickness or just outliving all your family and your friends. Too often people detach themselves from everyone or anything going on which limits their activity and interest even more.

No doubt crippling disease changers our personalities and our interests. Battling cancer, diabetes, a neurological disease or take your pick of many more, changes our attitude about wanting to be out and about and doing what we use to do. Going to church, the local Kiwanis

Meeting, or singing in the community choir may not have the same appeal.

Regardless of what you or a loved one has going on it’s well to take notice of this stage of life and not be too hard on your friend or yourself. Here is what you must try:

1. Keep moving. Move whatever you can. Even if you are wheel chair bound, move your mind and whatever part of your body that you can move.

2. Keep doing. Do something. Read, pray, exercise, go to church, walk. Clean your house. Work a job, mentor people. Be a friend to others. Use your imagination.

3. Keep trying. As long as you can breathe, don’t quit.

4. Have something to look forward to. This can be anything. Someone’s birthday. A trip to the store. Moving the yard. A family gathering. A weekend trip, a movie, church, it can be most anything.

5. Enjoy whatever you do. Laugh and have a good time.

The only person who can keep you down is yourself. Your number one obstacle is usually yourself. If we can overcome what we mentally put ourselves through then we have a good chance of a good day. A good thought to add here, is the scripture, “If God be for us who can be against us?” Romans 8:21 Another one is “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13

Now, go and have a good day!

About the author ~

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Commentary |
Basic human needs are not fair fame for billionaire tax cuts

It’s clear that this nation’s safety net has to be stronger so that people like me don’t fall through the cracks.

by Marisa Pesce

OtherWords

Tens of millions of Americans rely on the public assistance programs — like Medicaid, SNAP, housing aid, and more — that Republican leaders are now threatening to gut.

I’m one of them.

My dream is to regain the financial independence I once enjoyed before life and systemic obstacles got in the way. I come from a family with a history of mental illness and domestic abuse, and I’ve suffered through mental health challenges myself.

I’ve always worked hard. After high school, I earned a college degree and found the calling of being a teacher. I earned and paid for my Master’s degree while teaching full time as a high school math teacher. I still struggled with challenges, but life was good. The system had worked. I had a home and was financially independent.

I’ve had to rely on someone who participated in the domestic violence against me to help with rent.

Then, I was the victim of a major, life changing domestic violence event, and my life started to unwind. I had to relocate to another state where I didn’t have a place to call home, my benefits were less, and my mental illness was exacerbated by the isolation and trauma.

Despite the challenges I faced, I was able to find some needed assistance for food and mental health care as I got on my feet.

Also known as “food stamps,” the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) was a godsend for helping me put food on the table. Throughout my life both Medicaid and Medicare have helped with mental health treatment, and the Supplemental Security Disability Income (SSDI) program helped keep me out of poverty.

These are precisely the circumstances for which temporary assistance for basic needs like food, housing, and health care exists. But affordable housing was unavailable in my new home state, and SNAP benefits were much lower — even as my food needs stayed the same.

So my debts increased, and I’ve had to rely on someone who participated in the domestic violence against me to help with rent. I have a little income from SSDI, and I volunteer to stay engaged in my calling to teach and help others while I fight to recover from losing my home and my ability to keep up financially.

It’s clear that this nation’s safety net has to be stronger so that people like me don’t fall through the cracks. But House Republicans are currently trying to cut food assistance and other benefits, not strengthen them.

I just want to eat, get better, and afford safe housing so I can get back on my feet, back to financial independence, and back to doing all I can to help my community.

I need more help putting food on the table. But they’re proposing cuts to drastically reduce federal funding for SNAP, expand already harsh working requirements, and change how our need for healthy food is calculated, which is likely to slash benefits. And they’re doing it all to finance $4.5 trillion in tax breaks for corporations and the wealthiest.

I just want to eat, get better, and afford safe housing so I can get back on my feet, back to financial independence, and back to doing all I can to help my community. Yet I and millions like me are nothing but pawns in a political game that aims to hurt us and help those who already have wealth.

When I was teaching, I taught my students about fairness and equality — about what it means to live in a society where we look out for each other, where no one is left to be ill, unhoused, and hungry. I think some politicians need to go back to school, because they seem to have forgotten lessons like these.

So it’s our job to school them. We must let them know that basic human needs are not fair game for getting money for tax cuts for billionaires. Instead, our priorities should be healthy and safe communities for all.

About the author:
Marisa Pesce is a teacher, human rights consultant, anti-poverty advocate, and volunteer with RESULTS from Providence, Rhode Island. This op-ed was distributed by OtherWords.org.